Edward dayton rockwell



(No Model.)

E. D. ROCKWELL.

BELL.

. Patented Aug. 27, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

EDWARD DAYTON ROCKWELL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

B E L L.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,378, dated August27, 1895.

Application filed ay 1'7, 1895. Serial No. 549,658. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, EDWARD DAYTON ROCK- WELL, of Bristol, county ofI-Iartford,State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Bells, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce improvements in the striker andstriker mechanism or that part of the bell which is by suitablemechanism caused to make a direct impact against a gong and to produce asound.

'In such improvements as I have made the purpose has been to produce astriker or striker mechanism which, on account of certain characteristicfeatures, is adapted to strike a gong, as against a lug provided uponits interior surface, a sharp quick blow, and then instantly retreatingto permit the free unmufliled nodal play of the gong. In devicesheretofore employed with a similar object in bells an objection has beenthat the strikers were not delicately responsive enough to thereactionary influence of theforce of the blows which they deliveredagainst their gongs, and consequently that they impaired to a degree,notably in certain classes of bells in which purity and clearness oftone are a great desideratum, the sound which they produce. Through myinvention I am able to secure in bells of all varieties great purity,sweetness, and volume of tone.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated as an example of belland bell mechanism a bicycle-bell, and in those drawings Figure I is acentral vertical section of my bell complete. Fig. II is a plan viewthereof looking toward the strikers and striker-carrier and showing thestrikers as driven outwardly by centrifugal force and as in the act ofstriking. Fig. III is a similar view showing the strikers as havingvretreated after striking. Fig. IV shows a modified form of strikerproper, which, while resembling generally the form of striker shown inthe other figures, is more exactly wedge-shaped, being drawn to a thinstriking-edge at its striking extremity;

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the base of mybell, which may be of any suitable shape, size, dimensions, andmaterial. It is designed as affording a frame for assembling theoperative parts into a whole. is dish-shaped and is for the sake ofbeauty highly finished and polished upon its exterior surface. It isprovided, as illustrated, with any suitable fa'stenin g mechanism-as,for example, the split collar 2, which is designed in the presentexample for fastening the base to the handle-bar of a bicycle.

3 indicates a central arbor or stud, which revolubly supports, as upon acollar 4 of suit able height, a movable striker-carrier 10, which in theexample illustrated is a revoluble cross-head. To the bottom of thecrosshead is securely fixed a pinion 5, with which a gear 6, revolubleupon the base, meshes. The gear 6 is also provided with amultiplying-pinion 7, vrithwhich a driving-gear 8, revolubly secured, asby a pin 9, to the base and projecting through a recess in the outerwall thereof, meshes. The driving-gear thus presenting a smoothly-coggedperiphery to the As shown in the drawings, this basev thumb or finger ofan operator affords means for imparting rotary movement to the carrier10.

Any suitable means for actuating the movable striker may be substitutedfor that illustrated, which is shown solely for the purpose ofexplication.

11 indicates a striker, which is preferably, but not necessarily, of thegeneral wedge shape shown clearly in Figs. II and III of the drawings orof the distinct and positive wedge shape shown in Fig. IV, and ispivoted through the broad end or head of the wedge, as indicated at 12,to a striker-delivering arm 13, that is pivoted, as indicated at let, tothe extremity of the carrier and constitutes an intermediate connectionbetween the carrier and the striker. I denominate the'intermediatepieces which connect the strikers and the carrier as striker-deliveringarms, because when the strikers are in the position shown in Fig. III ofthe drawings, which position they assume after having been hurledagainst the lug 15 of the gong 16 and having been thrown back by theirimpact therewith, they are, when the gear is next actuated, revolvedupon the pivots 14: and deliver the strikers directly against the lug orother part of the gong by a blow the force of which is multiplied by theleverage gained by the arms swinging about the pivots 14 added to thecentrifugal force which is imparted directly by the rotation of thecarrier.

Where a number of revolutions, as is usually the case in operating thebell, are imparted to the carrier, the strikers will be alternatelythrown backward and forward a number of times between the gong and theposition shown in Fig. III of the drawings. In order, therefore, torender the striker quickly and perfectly responsive to the force whichtends to throw it from the position shown in Fig. III to that in whichit impinges against the gong, I prefer to provide upon the side of thecarrier opposite to the pinion 5 a metallic sleeve 17, and around thatsecure a cushion 18, which may be made of a rubber tube. By this meansnot only is any clashing sound, which might occur by the impact of thestrikers against the central arbor, prevented, but in the operation ofthe bell the alternate movement of the striker from the retreatingposition is facilitated by the resiliency of the cushion 18.

I do not confine myself to the details of construction herein shown anddescribed, but, as in instances heretofore pointed out in the body ofthe specification and otherwise, I reserve the right to modify andvarythe same within the scope of my invention.

That I claim is- 1. As an improvement in bells, a movable strikercarrier, a striker delivering arm pivoted approximately to the endthereof, and a striker pivotally secured to the striker delivering arm,substantially as specified.

2. In bell mechanism,the combination with a movable striker, a strikerdelivering arm pivoted to'the striker, and a wedge-shaped strikerpivotally secured at its head to the arm, substantially as set forth.

3. In bell mechanism, the combination with a frame and rotary carrier,of a striker delivering arm pivoted to the carrier, a striker pivoted tothe arm, and carrier actuating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

4. In bell mechanism the combination with a frame, rotary carrier, gongand lug upon the gong, of carrier actuating mechanism, a strikerdelivering arm pivotally connected to the carrier, and a striker pivotedto the arm, substantially as set forth.

5. In bell mechanism, the combination with a rotary carrier, and meansfor actuating the same, of a sleeve upon the carrier, a cushion upon thesleeve, and a striker pivotally secured to the carrier, substantially asset forth.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDWARD DAYTON ROCKWELL. Witnesses:

F. WILDER, THOMAS E. STEELE.

